CONTAINER_IMAGE is empty unless the Kustomize replacements step runs (Helm / raw-manifest installs)

[wojciechgrazawskiahnl]

Environment

• Camel K version: 2.11.0-nightly (pkg/util/defaults/defaults.go)

This is a question to confirm intended behavior before anything is changed. It concerns how the operator resolves its own image in the v2.11.0-nightly codebase.

Summary

The operator resolves its own image purely from the CONTAINER_IMAGE env var:

• pkg/cmd/operator/operator.go:273-274 — getOperatorImage() → os.Getenv("CONTAINER_IMAGE")
• pkg/cmd/operator/operator.go:159 — platform.OperatorImage = getOperatorImage()

That value is populated only by a Kustomize replacements block that copies the Deployment's image: field into the env var:

• install/base/config/manager/operator-deployment.yaml:81-82 ships CONTAINER_IMAGE: "" (placeholder)
• install/base/config/manager/kustomization.yaml:32-40 copies spec…containers[camel-k-operator].image → env[CONTAINER_IMAGE].value

The concern: the Helm chart never sets CONTAINER_IMAGE (helm/camel-k/templates/operator-deployment.yaml declares WATCH_NAMESPACE, LOG_LEVEL, OPERATOR_NAME, REGISTRY_ADDRESS, POD_NAME, NAMESPACE, OPERATOR_ID — no CONTAINER_IMAGE). Any install that doesn't run the Kustomize replacements step (Helm, or applying the base manifest directly) leaves platform.OperatorImage == "".

That value flows into the builder pod image with no fallback:

• pkg/controller/integration/build.go:128 and pkg/controller/integrationkit/build.go:153 — buildConfig.ToolImage = platform.OperatorImage
• pkg/controller/build/build_pod.go:207 — Image: build.BuilderConfiguration().ToolImage

So with the pod build strategy and an empty CONTAINER_IMAGE, the builder pod is created with an empty container image. (The routine strategy is unaffected since it builds in-process.)

Questions

1. Is relying solely on the injected CONTAINER_IMAGE env var intended, given the Helm chart does not set it in v2.11.0-nightly?
2. Should the operator fall back to resolving its own image from its Pod spec (it already has POD_NAME / NAMESPACE) when CONTAINER_IMAGE is empty, and/or should the Helm chart set CONTAINER_IMAGE?

[squakez]

Yeah, it could be a bug. We are using it only in builder pod mode and we are not testing that scenario in install Helm workflow.